1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stock for firearms such as rifles and shotguns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The stock of a rifle or shotgun sets the distance between the shoulder of the shooter and the breech, adjusts the center of gravity of the firearm, and distributes the pressure generated by the kinetic energy of recoil over a larger surface, so as to reduce its unit value and transmit it to the shooter""s shoulder.
Generally, the cross-section of the body of the stock is oval, with a vertical major axis and the point directed downward. The stock ends with a face that is slightly curved and perpendicular to the axis of the barrel.
The stock angle brings the line of sight close to the eyelevel and determines the cushioning action against the recoil force.
As the stock angle increases, the component of the recoil force that acts on the shoulder decreases, while the component that is normal to the axis of the barrel increases; such normal component causes the nozzle of the firearm to rise or jump when firing. Such nozzle rise is contrasted by the hand of the shooter.
Several contrivances have been proposed for reducing the dynamic load on the shoulder caused by the recoil of the firearm, or for improving the ballistic features of the weapon, including accessories to be applied to the stock and internal mechanisms of various kinds.
Systems based on mechanisms contained within the stock have the drawback of being structurally complicated and therefore expensive.
Accessories to be applied to the stock can be cheaper but do not offer optimum functional features.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,551,937 and 3,267,602 disclose such an accessory constituted by a pad, for use on the end of the stock of a rifle or shotgun, having a number of slots.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a stock for firearms, particularly for rifles, that overcomes the drawbacks of the cited prior art.
An object of the invention is to provide a stock for firearms that is capable of reducing the dynamic load on the shoulder produced by the recoil of the firearm.
A further object of the invention is to provide a stock for firearms, particularly for rifles, capable of reducing the muzzle rise upon firing, consequently increasing target acquisition speed for the successive shots.
A further object is to provide a stock for firearms that can be manufactured at low cost and without using complicated mechanisms.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a stock for firearms, comprising slots or cutouts provided in the body of the stock and filled with material adapted to absorb energy.